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Stop Deed & Wire Fraud: Local Home Buyers USA Launches 2025 Seller Trust & Safety Checklist

Seller Trust & Safety Console

Local Home Buyers USA · PropTechUSA.ai Research

Seller Trust Lab Deed & Wire Fraud Checklist + Videos Identity & Title Safety
Clear identity checks • Title safeguards • Wire-fraud protocol

Stop Deed & Wire Fraud: Local Home Buyers USA Launches the 2025 Seller Trust & Safety Checklist

Dateline: October 1, 2025 — United States (Nationwide) • Last updated: October 1, 2025

We’re turning our internal anti-fraud procedures into a public resource: a simple, plain-English checklist any homeowner can use to protect themselves from deed scams, identity fraud, and wire-transfer attacks—regardless of who they sell to.
Download the free checklist Request a secure cash offer

TL;DR for editors

Deed & Wire Fraud, in One Page

  • Initiative: Public, printable checklist for sellers to prevent deed and wire fraud.
  • What’s inside: Identity verification steps, title/wire safeguards, and a closing-day protocol.
  • Free for all: You don’t have to sell to us to use it. Share it with your neighbors.
Closing Risk Tape · Educational Only
Deed Fraud Focus Vacant & absentee sellers Extra ID & authority checks around powers of attorney and estates.
Wire Fraud Focus Last-minute wire changes Always re-verify via the title company’s official website number.
Identity Controls Multi-factor & call-back MFA on email/banking and documentable phone verification.
Safe Closing Standard Vendor-agnostic checklist Use with any agent, buyer, or title company—including us.

These are illustrative risk bands, not live regulatory data. Pair this page with your title company and local counsel.

Media kit

Assets for Coverage & Sharing

Download Logo (WEBP) Checklist (Fillable PDF) 60-Second Commercial (YouTube) Seller Testimonial Short Media Contact

Media

Watch: 60-Second Commercial

One-minute overview of identity, title, and wire safeguards in our seller-first process.

Media

Watch: Seller Testimonial (Short)

Real seller experience: transparent math, options, and no pressure.

Why this matters

Fraud Targets Moments of Change—Like Selling a Home

Home sales involve large sums, tight timelines, and many parties. That’s fertile ground for scammers. Our standard practice—verify identity, confirm title partners through official channels, and treat wire instructions like high-risk data—reduces the attack surface. We’re sharing the exact steps we use so you can adopt them, whether you’re selling to us, listing with an agent, or doing a FSBO (for sale by owner).

What’s different

Plain-Language, Actionable, and Vendor-Agnostic

Checklists only work if they’re usable. Ours avoids jargon and includes specific actions: how to verify people, confirm title company details, and authenticate wire instructions. It works regardless of your buyer or title company—and it fits on one printable page.

Trust & safety

2025 Seller Trust & Safety Checklist (Preview)

  • Identity: Ask every new contact for full name, role, and company email. Verify via the company’s official website or directory—never from a link sent in email/SMS.
  • Title Company: Confirm the exact company name, office line, and closer/escrow officer through the title website or your agent—not from a forwarded PDF.
  • Wire Instructions: Treat as sensitive. Call the title company using the number on their website to verify account and beneficiary. Repeat this step after any change.
  • Secure Channels: Avoid public Wi-Fi for document signing or banking. Use multifactor authentication for email and bank logins.
  • Red Flags: Rush pressure, new wire details sent last-minute, requests to “keep this private,” or refusal to use verified numbers.
  • Documentation: Keep a call log with dates, names, and the verified numbers you used.
  • Escalation: If anything feels off, stop. Contact the title company at the verified number and your bank immediately.

We also encourage sellers to review neutral resources: Cornell LII on closings and title insurance, and practitioner research from Cornell CREF and the Cornell Real Estate Review.

Our protocol

How We Verify People & Money Flows

  1. ID & Role: Verify via official sites; confirm engagement letters originate from verified domains.
  2. Title Confirmation: We confirm file numbers and closer names by calling the title office number listed on their website.
  3. Wire Authentication: We require dual verification of wire instructions by voice on recorded lines from verified numbers before any funds move.
  4. Change-Control: Any change to instructions triggers a full re-verification and manager sign-off.

Share it

Use This Even If You Don’t Sell to Us

This checklist is vendor-agnostic. Whether you’re working with an agent, a local investor, or a national buyer, the safety steps are the same. Print it, share it, and hold everyone (including us) to the standard.

How-to

Secure Closing, Step by Step

  1. Identify parties: List each person/company and obtain a verified phone number from an official site.
  2. Confirm title file: Call the title office to confirm your file number, closer, and delivery method for wire instructions.
  3. Verify wire details: Confirm account name, bank, and routing by phone using the verified office number. Document who you spoke with and when.
  4. Lock channels: Use MFA on email and banking; avoid public Wi-Fi on signing days.
  5. Final check: On closing day, call the verified title number again to confirm instructions before sending or expecting funds.

FAQs

Common Questions

Why not email wire instructions?
Because email can be spoofed. Voice-verify using the title company’s website number.
What if someone rushes me?
Stop. Call the title company at the verified number. Rush + secrecy are classic red flags.
Do I need a lawyer?
Laws vary by state. We encourage you to consult local counsel—especially for complex estates, liens, or power-of-attorney situations.
Can I use this if I list with an agent?
Yes. This is vendor-agnostic. Share it with your agent and title company.

Next steps

Download & Request a Secure Offer

Grab the checklist, share it with your title company, and request a secure, transparent cash offer from us. We’ll explain our verification steps up front.

Download the free checklist Request a secure cash offer

Press & seller inquiries

Request a Secure Cash Offer

Or Call 1-800-858-0588 By submitting, you agree to be contacted about your inquiry. We never sell your data.

Author & review

About the Author

Justin Erickson, CEO at Local Home Buyers USA, leads seller-first operations focusing on transparency, fraud prevention, and plain-English documentation. Justin oversees the company’s identity verification, title-company selection, and wire-authentication protocols used nationwide.

Reviewed by

Operations Team (Title & Compliance). This page is reviewed quarterly for accuracy and clarity. See the change log below.

Editorial standards

How We Earn Trust

  • No superlatives without proof. We disclose assumptions and label ranges clearly.
  • Vendor-agnostic guidance. The checklist works with any buyer, agent, or title company.
  • Neutral references. We link to university and primary legal sources for definitions.
  • Contactable humans. Questions? Call 1-800-858-0588 or email justinhomehelper@gmail.com.

Citations & further reading

Neutral Definitions & Background

Nothing here is legal advice; consult a qualified attorney in your state.

Change log

Updates to This Page

  • Oct 1, 2025: Initial publication with downloadable checklist PDF, videos, and enhanced schemas.

State notes

Title & Closing Customs Vary by State

Some states are attorney states (closings handled by attorneys); others use escrow/title companies. HOA payoff timing, transfer taxes, and notary rules also vary. Our checklist is vendor-agnostic and works in both models—your local title/attorney will provide specific forms and timelines. If in doubt, call the verified office number listed on their official website.

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